Tommy John says farewell

[welch]

Tommy John said goodbye to Yankee fans during yesterday's Old Timers Day.

NEW YORK — Tommy John, the former pitcher who in 1974 underwent an innovative surgical procedure on his elbow that is now part of his legacy, penned a farewell letter posted by the New York Yankees on Saturday.

The 83-year-old has been dealing with “health issues,” the team said in a social media post.

“I want to thank the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone,” John wrote, “along with all the friends and fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7500754/2026/08/08/tommy-john-health-yankees/?unlocked_article_code=1.4FA.CqDU.e-dDuWEoUqpI&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

[imref]

[bluestreak]

I have always maintained that Tommy John should be in the Hall of Fame. His numbers on their own are probably a little short. But they aren’t awful either (288 wins, 61.6 WAR, 3.34 ERA, 4 All-Star teams).
But the reason he should be in the Hall is because he took the risk and let Frank Jobe do this weird surgery on him.  And then did the work to get back. 

One of my personal criteria for an inclusion is “can you tell the story of baseball without mentioning this person.” 

I think you can tell the story of baseball without mentioning Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran (the guys that just got in). You absolutely cannot without mentioning Tommy John.

[imref]

Agree 100%

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I have always maintained that Tommy John should be in the Hall of Fame. His numbers on their own are probably a little short. But they aren’t awful either (288 wins, 61.6 WAR, 3.34 ERA, 4 All-Star teams).
But the reason he should be in the Hall is because he took the risk and let Frank Jobe do this weird surgery on him.  And then did the work to get back. 

One of my personal criteria for an inclusion is “can you tell the story of baseball without mentioning this person.” 

I think you can tell the story of baseball without mentioning Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran (the guys that just got in). You absolutely cannot without mentioning Tommy John.

I will guess he'll be on the ballot for the veterans committee. Those stats compare well to a lot of the latest inductees.

[welch]

Yes, HOF. He was an ace before the surgery.

[Slateman]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/17468132/mlb-legend-tommy-john-dead-hospice-goodbye-letter/

He passed away

[imref]

[varoadking]

wow...

I remember vividly meeting him at spring training in Sarasota in '66, I think...really puts time in perspective...

[Count Walewski]

When they eventually do the right thing and induct him into the Hall of Fame, in lieu of him giving a speech they should just read a list of Hall of Fame pitchers who have had Tommy John surgery.

[bluestreak]

When they eventually do the right thing and induct him into the Hall of Fame, in lieu of him giving a speech they should just read a list of Hall of Fame pitchers who have had Tommy John surgery.

Would be a short list. John Smoltz is the only one.

[imref]

Would be a short list. John Smoltz is the only one.

wow. That's incredible.

[Count Walewski]

Give it a decade or so. Every power pitcher gets it now. In the meantime, read a list of very good pitchers who have gotten TJ when he gets in!

[JCA-CrystalCity]

wow. That's incredible.

in the last 40 years, there's only been 22 primary pitchers to make the Hall of Fame. There were the holdovers from the 70s and 80s, then a gap, then some relievers and the late 90s/ 00s group of starters.

[Count Walewski]

Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, Chris Sale, Shohei Ohtani all had TJ surgery and will probably go into the Hall of Fame. Bryce Harper is not a pitcher but he had Tommy John surgery and will probably go into the Hall of Fame.

Plenty of respectable names on this list, including World Series champions Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, and Fernando Rodney (all before 2019):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_baseball_players_who_underwent_Tommy_John_surgery

[Slateman]

Would be a short list. John Smoltz is the only one.

Bobby Wagner had it too

[bluestreak]

Bobby Wagner had it too

Yeah I heard that stat before *Billy* Wagner got in last year.  My bad.

[blue911]

Yeah I heard that stat before *Billy* Wagner got in last year.  My bad.

Paul Molitor just to be pedantic.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I think the HoFs among the 90s / 00s pitchers would have been the first ones to have the surgery widely available early enough in their careers to pile up HoF credentials.  That would be the starters (Pedro, the 3 Braves, Mussina, Randy Johnson, CC, maybe some others that don't immediately come to mind), and the relievers (Mo, Lee Smith, Wagner, Eck who is a little earlier). That's something like 11 of the 22. There's probably some Negro League and veterans committee types too (Don Sutton?)  who more or less pitched before TJS. Beyond that, the Hall was a little light on electing HoF pitchers and for the most part the surgery wasn't available. Ryan waited until  his last pitch to blow out his UCL. Seaver was another horse.

The guy for me who was a "what if" is Frank Tanana. He began to throw soft when he had elbow issues. IDK if his tendon was damaged, but with modern techniques I think he may have gotten a brace and still been able to throw hard.